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Abstract - An abstract is a summary or brief description of the content of another longer work.
Bibliography - List containing citations to the resources used in writing a research paper or other document.
Citation - Basic information needed to identify and locate a book, magazine or journal article, or other work. Citations differ based on the format of the item and also based on the citation style you use.
Citation Style - A citation style dictates the information necessary for a citation and how the information is ordered, as well as punctuation and other formatting.
In-Text Citation - An in-text citation is the brief form of the reference that you include in the body of your work. It gives enough information to uniquely identify the source in your reference list.
MLA Works Cited or APA References List - Lists citations for sources referenced or cited in a presentation or research assignment.
What Citation Style Should I Use?
Citations can be constructed using a variety of formats. The five formats listed below are commonly used at Harcum College.
The citation style you should use would be determined by your academic program and your instructor.
AMA - Medicine and Health
APA - Psychology, Education, and Other Social Sciences
ASA - Sociology
MLA - English and the Humanities
NLM - Medicine and Health
For more information, click on the Plagiarism & Academic Integrity tab.
Why Cite Your Sources?
You need to cite your sources in any research paper that you write and to give credit to those who have done original research and have written a journal article or book.
Allows your instructor to view the sources that you used and to find out whether you have properly understood what the author was trying to say.
Reference List citations and in-text citations show that you have consulted different sources as the assignment required. In addition, a bibliography allows readers to track down the sources that you used in order to enhance their knowledge.
If your paper has no citations, one would assume that you have written an original piece of work. In general, you should cite anything that is not composed solely of your own thoughts. Cite any direct quotes as well as concepts, ideas, findings and methods. Even if you are paraphrasing, summarizing entirely in your own words, you should still cite.
Common knowledge, which is defined as something that can be easily found in five sources or more, does not require a citation. Example: "Presidents' Day in the United States is observed on the third Monday in February."
If you are in doubt about whether something should be cited or not, then go ahead and cite it.
